Tuesday, January 3, 2012

January 4, 2011 - 30th Wednesday After Pentecost

FEASTS AND SAINTS CELEBRATED TODAY:

Synaxis of the 70 Holy Apostles Theoctistos the Righteous of Sicily Forefeast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Zosimos the Monk and Athanasios the Notary Righteous Apollinaria the Senator Martyrs Chrysanthos and Euphemia Righteous Euthymios the Younger New Martyr Onuphrios Righteous Euthymios of Vatopedi Righteous John Scholarios Eustathios Archbishop of Serbia

http://www.goarch.org/resources/monthly_readingsThe Reading is from Acts of the Apostles 10:44-48; 11:1-10 IN THOSE DAYS, while Peter was still saying this, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, "Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. Now the apostles and the brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" But Peter began and explained to them in order: "I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, something descending, like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came down to me. Looking at it closely I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, 'Rise, Peter; kill and eat.' But I said, 'No, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' But the voice answered a second time from heaven, 'What God has cleansed you must not call common.' This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven."

The Reading is from John 1:18-28 No one has ever seen God; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ." And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" And he answered, "No." They said to him then, "Who are you? let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" He said, " I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?" John answered them, "I baptize with water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie." This took place in Bethany beyond the Jordon, where John was baptizing.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone Ἐν τοῖς ῥείθροις σήμερον τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, γεγονῶς ὁ Κύριος, τῶ Ἰωάννη ἐκβοᾷ. Μὴ δειλιάσης βαπτίσαι με, σῶσαι γὰρ ἥκω, Ἀδὰμ τὸν πρωτόπλαστον.In the running waters of the Jordan River, on this day the Lord of all crieth to John: Be not afraid and hesitate not to baptize Me, for I am come to save Adam, the first-formed man.The Seventy Disciples and Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ are those Whom our Saviour chose in addition to the Twelve and sent forth unto the work of preaching. With the passage of time, others were added to their number by the Holy Apostles, who, with the accompaniment and assistance of the Seventy, were preaching the Gospel of Christ in various lands. Although their number eventually exceeded seventy, they were all nonetheless referred to as "of the Seventy" out of reverence for the number of Apostles which the Lord chose.The divine Apostle and Evangelist Luke describes the calling and the sending forth of the Seventy as follows in his Holy Gospel (Luke 10:1-16): "After these things the Lord appointed another seventy disciples, and sent them two and two before His face into every city and place, whither He Himself would come. Therefore said He unto them, the harvest is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His harvest. Go then: behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry neither purse, nor bag, nor sandals: and greet no man on the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter first say, Peace be on this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it; if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you; And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveeth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding know ye this, that the Kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be brought down to hades. He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me."After the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of our Lord, and after Pentecost, on which all the Apostles and men and women disciples of Christ, together with the Most Holy Theotokos (some 120 in number), were gathered in the upper chamber, they received the grace of the All-holy Spirit and went forth throughout the ends of the world, everywhere preaching and teaching the Gospel of Christ, and leading to the true Faith the peoples who were sunk in the darkness of impiety and idolatry.

Kontakion in the Second Tone Χριστοῦ Μαθητῶν, χορὸν τῶν Ἑβδομήκοντα, ἐνθέως πιστοί, ὑμνήσωμεν σήμερον, καὶ πανηγυρίσωμεν, δι' αὐτῶν γὰρ πάντες ἐμάθομεν, Τριάδα σέβειν ἀμέριστον, ὑπάρχουσι γὰρ λύχνοι θείας Πίστεως.With hymns let us praise the chorus of the Seventy disciples of Christ, ye faithful; and in godliness, let us keep a feast, for we learned through them to worship the Trinity, Who is indivisibly one; for they are the lamps of our most godly Faith.

Saint Theoctistos, Abbot of the Monastery of Cucomo in Sicily, reposed in peace in the year 800.

http://www.abbamoses.com/Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles. In addition to the Twelve Apostles, our Lord appointed seventy disciples to go forth and bring the Good News to the world (see Luke ch. 10). Others were later added to this company by the Holy Apostles, so that their number in fact exceeds seventy, though all are still referred to as "of the Seventy."On this day we also commemorate the company of those who have been sent forth by the Holy Spirit through the centuries to proclaim the joyous Gospel of Christ. The Ethiopian Eunuch of Queen CandaceHis baptism by the holy Apostle Philip is told in Acts ch. 8. He was already seeking out the things of God — the story shows him reading the Book of Isaiah, and specifies that he was going to Jerusalem to worship. He returned home ("rejoicing", say the scriptures) and proclaimed the Gospel of Christ in his native land; the ancient Church of Ethiopia traces its beginnings to his mission. He died a martyr's death.

Venerable Apollinaria (5th c.)She was a maiden of high rank, the daughter of a magistrate named Anthimus in the city of Rome. Filled with love for Christ, she prevailed on her parents to allow her to travel on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. In Jerusalem she dismissed most of her attendants, gave her jewels, fine clothes and money to the poor, and went on to Egypt accompanied only by two trusted servants. Near Alexandria she slipped away from them and fled to a forest, where she lived in ascesis for many years. She then made her way to Sketis, the famous desert monastic colony, and presented herself as a eunuch named Dorotheos. In this guise she was accepted as a monk.Anthimus, having lost his elder daughter, was visited with another grief: his younger daughter was afflicted by a demon. He sent this daughter to Sketis, asking the holy fathers there to aid her by their prayers. They put her under the care of "Dorotheos", who after days of constant prayer effected the complete cure of her (unknowing) sister. When the girl got back home it was discovered that she was pregnant, and Anthimus angrily ordered that the monk who had cared for her be sent to him. He was astonished to find that "Dorotheos" was his own daughter Apollinaria, whom he had abandoned hope of seeing again. After some days the holy woman returned to Sketis, still keeping her identity secret from her fellow-monks. Only at her death was her true story discovered.

Menologion 3.0The Sobor (Assemblage) of the Seventy Disciples ("Apostles") was established by the Orthodox Church so as to indicate the equal honour of each of the Seventy, and to avert dissonance in their veneration. [Translator Note: Russian idiomatic useage refers both to the "12" and to the "70" as "Apostle"; whereas English idiomatic useage refers to the "12" as "Apostle" and to the "70" as "Disciple".] They were chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to evangelise the Gospel to all the world. Besides the celebration of the Sobor (Assemblage) of the Holy Disciples, the Church celebrates the memory of each of them during the course of the year: the Disciple James, Brother of the Lord (23 October); Mark the Evangelist (25 April); Luke the Evangelist (18 October); Cleopas, brother of Joseph the Betrothed, and Simeon his son (27 April); Barnabas (11 June); Josiah, or Joseph, named Barsaba or Justus (30 October); Thaddeus (21 August); Ananias (1 October); Stephen, Archdeacon (27 December); Philip from the 7 Deacons (11 October); Prochoros from the 7 Deacons (28 July); Nikanor from the 7 Deacons (28 July and 28 December); Timon from the 7 Deacons (28 July and 30 December); Parmenas from the 7 Deacons (28 June); Timothy (22 January); Titus (25 August); Philemon (22 November and 19 February); Onysimos (15 February); Epaphrasos and Archippos (22 November and 19 February); Silas, Sylvanus, Criscentus or Criscus (30 July); Crispus and Epenetos (30 July); Andronikos (17 May and 30 July); Stakhias, Amplias, Urban, Narcissos, Apellias (31 October); Aristoboulos (31 October and 16 March); Herodion or Rodion (8 April and 10 November); Ahab, Rufus, Asinkritos, Phlegontos (8 April); Hermas (5 November and 31 May); Patrobus (5 November); Hermias (8 April); Linus, Caius, Philologos (5 November); Lucius (10 September); Jason (28 April); Sosipater (28 April and 10 November); Olympos or Olympanus (10 November); Tercias (30 October and 10 November); Herastos, Quartus (10 November); Evodus (7 September); Onysiphoros (7 September and 8 December); Clement (25 November); Sosthenes (8 December); Apollos (10 September and 8 December); Tykhikos, Epaphrodites (8 December); Carpus (26 May); Codratus (21 September); Mark who is John, Zeno (27 September); Aristarchus (15 April and 27 September); Pudas, Trophymos (15 April); Mark nephew of Barnabas, Artemis (30 October); Aquila (14 July); Fortunatus, Achaecus (4 January).With the Descent of the Holy Spirit the disciples preached in various lands. Some accompanied the Apostles from the 12, like the holy Evangelists Mark and Luke, or the companion of the holy Apostle Paul -- Timothy, or the disciple of the holy Evangelist John the Theologian -- Prochoros, and others. Many of them were thrown into prison for Christ, and many received the crown of a martyr's death.To the 70 Disciples are enumerated yet two -- the holy Disciple Cephas, to whom the Lord appeared after the Resurrection (1 Cor. 15: 5-6), and Simeon, by nickname Niger (Acts 13:1), wherefore they also were glorified by apostolic preaching. The Church in particular venerates and praises the 70 Disciples in that they taught to honour the Trinity One-in-Essence and Un-Divided.In the IX Century the Orthodox Church received from Joseph the Melodist the Kanon for the Day of the Sobor (Assemblage) of the 70 Disciples of Christ.

Dionysios the Areopagite and Simeon Niger. The account about them is located under 3 October and 27 April.

The Monk Theoktistos founded a monastery in the city of Kucuma on the island of Sicily, where he became hegumen. At his monastery lived Greek monks, having fled persecution by the iconoclasts. The monk died in the year 800.

The Monk Akhila (Aquila), Deacon of Pechersk (XIV), became famous as a great faster, having spent a long while as an hermit. Legend says that he ate neither vareny (pirogi) nor sweet food, he partook vegetables seldom and in small quantity, and during periods of fast he tasted of only one prosphora. To the intercession of Saint Akhila flee those thirsting of soul to be delivered from "the enslavement of stomach passions" and those wishing to learn temperance (3rd song of the Kanon to the Monks, venerated in the Farther Caves).The commemoration of the Monk Akhila is also 28 August and on the 2nd Sunday of Great Lent.

The MonkMartyr Zosima came from Cilicia and was an inhabitant of the wilderness. During a time of persecution against christians under the emperor Diocletian (284-305) Saint Zosima was seized and subjected to fierce torture for the faith, but by the power of God he was preserved unharmed. Having beheld such a miracle of God, the prison head by the name of Athanasias believed in Christ and was baptised. The Monk Zosima together with Athanasias was released and went off into the wilderness where, pursuing asceticism, they lived in a crevice in a mountain until their death.

Sainted Eustathii, ArchBishop of Serbia, lived in the second half of the XIII Century, during the reign of the Serbian king Stefan Urosh (1262-1320).He was born in the Budimil'sk district into a pious Christian family, where he received a spiritual upbringing. Distinguished by remarkable talents, the youth Evstathii was given over by his parents for training in "book wisdom". With particular diligence he studied Holy Scripture, perfecting himself in piety and good deeds. Having finished his education, the youth took vows at the monastery of the Archangel Michael in the Zetsk district (Chernogore) and led a strict monastic life, such that he soon became noted as a great ascetic. From thence he undertook a journey to Jerusalem, for veneration to the Holy Sepulchre of the Lord. On the return journey he visited Holy Mount Athos and settled there in the Serbian Khilendaria monastery.The monk Evstathii gained general reknown and love as a strict ascetic and good teacher, and he was advanced to the dignity of hegumen of the monastery. After several years they ordained him bishop of the Zetsk diocese, and the saint returned to his native land. Rich spiritual experience and monastic life won him the love of his fellow countrymen, and Saint Evstathii was chosen to the throne of the archbishops of Serbia, successors of Saint Sava. For seven years Sainted Evstathii guided the Serbian Church and peacefully died about the year 1285. His body was buried in the Zhidocha monastery, and later it was transferred to Pesh (Pech) and placed in the cathedral church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

The MonkMartyr Onufrii, in the world Matfei (Matthew), was born in Bulgaria in the settlement of Gabrovo in Tyrnovsk diocese. Matfei received a fine education, but in place of worldly blessings he preferred service to God, and he went to Athos to the Khilendaria monastery. Here he took monastic vows with the name Manassiya (Manassas). but even the strict asceticism of a monk on Mount Athos did not fully satisfy the self-strictness of the monk, and Manassiya decided to suffer for Christ. With this desire he became involved with the starets Nikifor. The elder vowed him to schema-monk with the name Onufrii and, having been given admonition, he set off with the Monk Gregory to the Turkish island of Chios. There the MonkMartyr Onufrii openly confessed the Christian faith, for which he was seized and subjected to cruel tortures. After the torturing they beheaded him and threw him into the sea (+ 4 January 1818).

The MonkMartyr Euthymios, Hegumen of the Batopedeia Monastery, and with him 12 Monks suffered on Athos in the XIII Century for denouncing as heretical the Latinisers patriarch Michael Paleologos (1261-1281) and patriarch John Bekkas (1275-1282). The hegumen was drowned in the sea, and the monks -- were hung.

THE PROLOGUE FROM ORCHID:

http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/prolog.htm1. THE ASSEMBLY [SYNAXSIS] OF THE SEVENTY HOLY APOSTLESBesides the Twelve Greater Apostles, the Lord chose Seventy Lesser Apostles and sent them to preach the Gospel, "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place He intended to visit, He said to them, ` The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.' Go on your way: behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this household' " (St. Luke 10:1-5). But, as Judas, one of the Twelve, fell away from the Lord, so it was with some of the Seventy who abandoned the Lord not with the intention of betrayal but because of human weakness and faintheartedness. "As a result of this, many of His disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him" (St. John 6:66). As Judas' place was filled by another apostle, "So they [The Apostles] proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, `You, Lord, Who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two You have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place'. Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles" (Acts of the Apostles 1:23-26); so also were the places of these lesser apostles filled by others that were chosen. These Seventy Lesser Apostles labored at the same work as did the Twelve Great Apostles; they were co-workers with the Twelve in spreading and establishing the Church of God in the world. They endured many sufferings and malevolent acts from men and demons, but their strong faith and fervent love for the resurrected Lord made them victors over the world and inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven.

2. EUSTATHIUS, ARCHBISHOP OF THE SERBSEustathius was born in the district of Budim of God-fearing parents. As a young man he was tonsured a monk in Zeta; then he entered a higher form of asceticism in the Monastery Hilendar [Mt. Athos]. In time, Eustathius became the abbot of Hilendar. As abbot, he was elected Bishop of Zeta and after a certain period of time was elected Archbishop of the Serbs. Eustathius was a man of great charity who governed Christ's flock with zeal and love. He died peacefully in the year 1279 A.D. In his old age he cried out before his death: "Into Your hands, O Lord I give my soul." His relics are interred under the flooring in the Church at the Patriarchate of Pec.

3. THE EUNUCH OF QUEEN CANDACEThe Apostle Philip baptized this black man, a eunuch. Following his baptism the eunuch returned to his home and began to preach Christ. He was the first Apostle of Faith among the blacks in Ethiopia. "Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route. So he got up and set out. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, that is, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, and was returning home. Seated in his chariot, he was reading the Prophet Isaiah. The Spirit said to Philip, `Go and join up with the chariot.' Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the Prophet and said, `Do you understand what you are reading?' He replied, `How can I, unless someone instructs me?" So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him. This was the scripture passage he was reading: `Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opened not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will tell of his posterity? For his life is taken from earth.' Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply, `I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself, or about someone else?' Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this scripture passage, he proclaimed Jesus to him. As they traveled along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, `Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?' Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and he baptized him. When they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing. Philip came to Azotus, and went about preaching the good news to all the towns until he reached Caesarea" (Acts of the Apostles 8: 26-40). The eunuch died a martyr and became worthy of the Kingdom of God.

4. THE VENERABLE MARTYR ONUPHRIUS OF HILENDAR MONASTERY [MOUNT ATHOSIn his youth, Onuphrius became angry with his parents and declared before the Turks that he was going to convert to Islam. Immediately following that, he repented because of these words and went to Hilendar where he was tonsured a monk. Tormented by his conscience, Onuphrius decided for martyrdom. Because of his determination and with the blessing of his spiritual father, he departed for Trnovo, Bulgaria where he reported to the Turks, proclaimed himself a Christian, and ridiculed Muhammad. Because of that, Onuphrius was beheaded on January 4, 1818, in his thirty-second year. The body of this spiritual knight is not preserved for the Turks tossed it into the sea.

HYMN OF PRAISETHE SEVENTY HOLY APOSTLESO knights of the Cross, sons of light,You have not yet passed, O children of the future,For you are not dead, as Christ is not,But lives with life that never decays.The Lord, You the Wreath-giver, beautifully crowned youBecause His Name, you loudly proclaimedBefore emperors and princes, before executioners terrible.God, you served; but with torment, the world repaid You.You walked after Christ, O bees of Christ!The world you filled with honey; the vessels you filled!Souls you alleviated; passions you calmed, With Evangelical sweetness you sweetened life,With the aroma of Christ, you censed the earth,Salt, light and incense to the world, you were.Seventy Companions, all with the same love,As branches with the tree, with Christ, you were attached;Seventy Stars, around the Sun - Christ,And there, the angels are and the Virgin All-Pure,There, unutterable delight, joy unseen,Glorious victors of this transitory time.Holy Apostles, glory and thanks be to you.From your blood, justice blossomed.

REFLECTIONGod hears the prayers of the just. This is clearly seen from the lives of Moses, Elijah, and the other Old Testament righteous ones and prophets as well as from the lives of the apostles and saints. While St. Genevieve, as a nun, lived a life of asceticism in Paris, it so happened that Attila with his savage Huns surrounded Paris. Fear and terror overcame the entire population of Paris who, at any moment, awaited the capture of the city by the enemy. Then, St. Genevieve called upon the people to fast and to pray to God and then the calamity will be averted. Many men and women responded to the call of this saint and began to fast and pray to God. Genevieve herself fasted the most and prayed most ardently to God. After a short while the enemy turned away from Paris without any visible reason and departed for another place. That which the sword of many sinners cannot do, the prayer of the righteous person can.

CONTEMPLATIONTo contemplate the richness of God's power, wisdom and love:1. The richness of that power, wisdom and love is manifested in created nature; 2. The richness of that power, wisdom and love is revealed to the world through the Lord Jesus Christ.

HOMILYAbout the citizens of the other world

"They do not belong to theworld anymore than Ibelong to the world" (St. John 17:16).Christ the Lord is not of this world rather only in the vesture of this world. That is the Commander [Christ] clad in the clothing of a slave to save the captive enslaved by sin, matter and Satan. As is the commander, so are his soldiers. Even they, according to the spirit, are not of this world: They are not captives but free, they are not slaves but masters; they are not corruptible but immortal; they are not fallen but are saved. Such are all those who Christ recruited and who tasted immortal life willingly, rejected the world and united themselves with Him and remained faithful to Him until the end of their lives on earth. Abba Moses said, "No one can enter the army of Christ if he were not totally as fire; if he does not abhor honors and comfort, if he does not sever all bodily desires; and if he does not keep all of God's commandments." Judas was recruited but he fell away and loved prison more than the royal court, slavery more than freedom, corruption more then immortality, and destruction more than salvation. But the other apostolic recruits, great and small, remained faithful to Him [Christ] to the end, achieved victory for which they are glorified on earth among men and in heaven among the angels. That is why they are glorified and blessed both on earth and in heaven. All who are glorified by the world perish with the world, but those who are glorified by Christ are saved by Christ. The glory of the world is death, but the glory of Christ is life, life eternal and without death.O Immortal Lord, even though we are of the world according to the body and sin, recruit us into Your army, the army according to the spirit, power, wisdom and love which is not of this world. So, even when we die to the world, we may live in Your immortal kingdom with the angels, apostles and saints because of the love and prayers of Your holy apostles.